1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is provided with a plurality of specific components.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as copier machines distributed in the marketplace are each provided with components such as a scanner unit, an imaging unit, etc., which achieve the function of an image forming apparatus. There is only one combination as a sequence of processes that are associated with a copying function. Accordingly, components for performing such processes are fixed in advance. Since the time required to perform a given process depends on the amount of documents to be scanned, the conditions specified for the scan, the condition of usage such as use by other users, etc., the efficiency of work such as the printing of outputs may decrease. Further, the copying operation needs to be suspended if an anomaly is found in part of the process. This results in the work being suspended until the problem is fixed, causing the efficiency of work to drop.
In order to cope with these, the components that constitute an image forming apparatus may be provided in several sets, with these sets operating in parallel. Since having several sets means that the process required for copying becomes complicated, such complication results in the efficiency of work dropping, causing an increase in cost. Further, as the number of components used in an image forming apparatus increases, power consumption increases, which creates another concern regarding a cost increase associated with the increase of power consumption.
Patent Document 1 discloses a copying apparatus that has two auto document conveyer devices for reading the same job. Since these auto document conveyer devices share the job, an improvement in the operability can be achieved. This is only directed to the conveying of documents. Unless efficiency is achieved with respect to other processes associated with the copying, the entirety of the copying operation may come to a stop, and a sufficient solution to the above problem may not be provided. There is also no mention of the problem of cost increase.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 03-264434
Accordingly, there is a need to improve work efficiency with respect to a sequence of processes associated with a copying operation while suppressing costs.